Tagged courts

August 5, 2013 – JTMP had been dealing with justice issues all last week, and this week we turn our attention to musicians and artists that have been caught up in the justice system. Many musicians have been caught up in the courts over the years, from Paul McCartney in 1980 getting busted with 7.7 ounces of pot in his suitcase in Japan (he served 10 days in jail), to Pete Townshend getting arrested for visiting an illegal porn website on his computer back in 1999. His flat was raided, computers seized, and even though no illegal pornographic pictures were never found on his computer, he agreed to a "police caution" and was placed on a sex offender list for 5 years. He has insisted innocence from the start and has broken his 6-year silence on the incident in his new memoir "Who I Am", and last September talked about it with Daily Mail. He told Daily Mail that the reason he did not go to court and fight for his innocence was the reason many face; he had a half an hour to decide whether to take a "police caution", or go through a lengthy court battle where the prosecution has virtually limitless funds and resources and would most likely win, and your horrible mistake is splayed out for the world to see. He also said he was simply "exhausted" at the time. He decided to take the caution (sort of like taking a plea deal here in America) and put it behind him and move on with his life. What does everyone think? Should people be able to move on with their lives? Start a conversation or join in the JTMP Facebook Page. (photo credit: Kubackeck/CC)

AUG 17, 2012 – Even though there were worldwide protests calling for the release of Pussy Riot, such as the Russian Embassy here in DC that JTMP attended (see pic to right, and video coming soon), the Russian court handed down a guilty verdict and 2 year prison sentences to the 3 women activist musicians from the punk activist band Pussy Riot. The charge was "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred", and it has caused an uproar from people appalled by the decision. The White House, Sting, Sir Paul McCartney, and many, many people have come out and spoken against this verdict and harsh sentence.

White House press secretaryJosh Earnest said the Obama administration is "disappointed with the Pussy Riot verdict. While we understand the group's behavior was offensive for some, we have concerns about the way these young women were treated by the Russian judicial system."

Sting on Amnesty International's website said, "Dissent is a legitimate and essential right in any democracy and modern politicians must accept this fact with tolerance. A sense of proportion – and a sense of humour – is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness."